The invention relates to a hinge assembly for precision mounting a rear closure panel to a body of a vehicle.
It is known that automotive vehicles typically include a rear closure panel hingedly attached to the body of the vehicle. For aesthetics and to assure proper sealing of the rear closure panel, the rear closure panel requires a precise fit, both as to gap spacing and flushness of the panel relative to adjacent panels. It is known to design rear closure panels having adjustable hinges with adjustability in a single direction, selected from fore-aft, cross-vehicle, or up-down. However, there is a need for an improved hinge assembly that has multiple degrees of freedom for adjustment and which will facilitate assembly and adjustment of rear closure panels on vehicles.
The invention provides a hinge assembly that adjustably attaches a closure panel to a body of an automotive vehicle. The assembly includes a first bracket having a first rounded surface and a second bracket having a second rounded surface. The first surface is generally orthogonal to the second surface. The first surface includes a first opening, and the second surface includes a second opening. A generally elongated hinge strap extends between a first end portion and a second end portion of the hinge strap wherein the second end is attached to the vehicle using a ball and socket joint. The first end portion includes a first generally flat attachment surface generally orthogonal to a second generally flat attachment surface and the hinge strap is attached to the first and second brackets in a manner which allows the rounded surfaces to be selectively rotated relative to the attachment surfaces.